Knitted fabric



Oct. 8, 1963 K. KOHL KNITTED FABRIC Filed July 13. 1960 United States Patent 3,106,079 KNITTED FABRIC Karl Kohl, Offenbacherlandstr. 20, Hainstadt (Main), Germany Filed July 13, 1960, Ser. No. $2,652 Claims priority, application Germany July 15, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 66193) This invention relates to warp knitted fabrics, and more particularly to knitted lattice tulle fabrics consisting of a plurality of parallel warp chains or wales of chain stitches which are aligned in courses which extend transversely of the fabric and are connected by filling threads.

In known fabrics of the afore-described type the transverse stretches of the filling threads are spaced from each other in a warpwise direction by an odd, number of courses, and at least two transverse thread stretches pass between the same chain stitches in a course. The fabrics so produced are relatively heavy, and it is usually not practical to knit them in a fine gage. Their inherent properties exclude such knitted fabrics from applications where an appearance similar to that of woven material is required, as in mens shirts, blouses, and the like, for which warp knitted fabrics would offer great advantages.

It is an object of this invention to provide a knitted fabric which is very suitable for clothing applications such as mens shirts or blouses.

Another object is the provision of such a fabric which closely resembles a woven fabric.

A further object is the provision of a fabric which may be light and of fine gage knitting.

With these and other objects in view, the invention provides a knitted fabric which essentially consists of spaced parallel warp chains, each including a series of coursewise aligned chain stitches and of a plurality of filling threads, each having a plurality of transverse stretches which pass successively through the chain stitches in a plurality of adjacent warp chains. The several transverse stretches of each filling thread in the fabric of the invention are spaced w-arpwise by an even number of courses. They are connected by stretches of filling thread which extend in a warpwise direction and have a floating portion in at least one course intermediate the transverse stretches.

In its more specific aspects, the invention contemplates the use of an additional thread floatingly laid in between two adjacent warp chains and extending in a warpwise direction. This floating thread is held in position by the filling threads with which it is interwoven.

These and other features of this invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better'understood by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures thereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the stitch pattern of a first embodiment of the knitted fabric of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the pattern of a modified fabric of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary coursewise cross section of the fabric of FIG. 2; and

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FIG. 4 is a similar cross section taken on an adjacent course.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1, there are seen five spaced parallel warp chains '1 to 1 of the conventional single-bar type which are connected crosswise by filling threads 2 2 2 3 3 3 The three groups of corresponding warp and filling threads will be generally referred to hereinafter by reference numerals 1, 2, 3. One filling thread 2 and one filling thread 3 is associated to each warp thread 1 and identified by the same subscript. Only as many warp threads 1 and filling threads 2, 3 have been shown as are necessary for an understanding of the stitch pattern which is fully illustrated in the warp chain of thread '1 only. The pattern may be expanded coursewise by addition of further warp threads .1 and filling threads 2, 3. It repeats warpwise after eight courses numbered I to VIII which are representative of the multiplicity of filling threads which repeat the pattern illustrated, but are only partly shown for the sake of clarity. Each of the filling threads has several transverse stretches which extend transversely over several warp chains and connect the chains. The transverse stretches of the filling threads *2, 3 are arranged in courses II, VI and IV, VIII respectively. The transverse stretches of the same thread are thus spaced from each other by four courses of chain stitches. The transverse stretches of the two groups of filling threads alternate warpwise.

The transverse stretches of each filling thread are connected by warpwise stretches extending in the same wale. The warpwise stretches of the filling threads 2, 3 include respective floating portions, which float over one course each, the filling threads 2 floating over courses II, VI, and the filling threads 3 floating over courses IV, VH1. The transverse stretches of the filling threads 2 and 3 each tie three warp chains together.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, there are shown three warp threads 1 1 1 respectively associated with filling threads 2 2 2 and 3 3 3 The three groups of threads will be generally referred to hereinafter as 1, 2, 3. The illustrated warp threads 1 and filling threads 2, 3 form a complete stitch pattern in the warp chain of thread =1 only. The pattern may be expanded coursewise by addition of further warp threads 1 and associated filling threads 2, 3. 'It rep-eats warpwise after four courses numbered I to IV.

'Each filling thread 2, -3 has a plurality of transverse stretches which tie two adjacent warp chains together. Two transverse stretches of each filling thread which are consecutive in a 'warpwise direction are connected by a floating warpwise stretch which floats over one course so that the warpwise spacing of the transverse stretches of each filling thread is two courses. The transverse stretches of the two filling threads 2 and 3 are arranged alternatingly in successive courses of the warp chains 1. This fabric may be knitted in extremely fine gages and be very light.

As also seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, an additional floating thread 8 is arranged between each pair of adjacent warp chains. It extends in a warpwise direction and is interwoven with the filling threads in such a manner that it passes over the transverse stretches of the filling thread 2 and under the transverse stretches of the filling thread 3 as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, which show coursewise cross 3 sections of the fabric of FIG. 2 spaced from each other by one course.

To produce the pattern of FIG. 1, the filling yarn guide of the knitting machine which guides the fitting threads 2 will have to move according to the following formula A:

Formula Formula A B The yarn guide. which guides the filling threads 3 moves according to Formula B which is identical with Formula A but is offset two courses. The movements of the yarn guides which respectively guide the warp threads 1 and the filling threads 2, 3 will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and do not require explanation.

It should be understood of course that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A warp knitted fabric comprising a plurality of spaced parallel warp chains, each chain consisting of a plurality of chain stitches, the respective stitches of said chains being aligned in courses; and a plurality of filling threads associated with each warp chain, each filling thread having a plurality of transverse stretches passing successively through chain stitches of a plurality of adjacent warp chains in the same course, all said transverse stretches of each filling thread being spaced warpwise in the same chain by an even number of courses and being connected by stretches of said filling thread extending in a warpwise direction, said warpwise stretches having each a portion floating over one course intermediate said transverse stretches, said transverse stretches of each filling thread between adjacent warp chains being ofiset warpwise from said transverse stretches of the remainder of said plurality of filling threads associated with the same warp chain.

2. A knitted fabric as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transverse stretches of each of said filling threads extends over the same number of warp chains.

3. A knitted fabric as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a floating thread extending warpwise between two adjacent ones of said chains and interwoven with said transverse stretches of said filling threads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,851 Waitzfelder Apr. 19, 1904 2,399,392 Sadinoff Apr. 30, 1946 2,411,175 Wagler 'Nov. 19, 1946 2,485,307 Newman Oct. 18, 1949 2,706,898 Gross et al Apr. 26, 1955 

1. A WARP KNITTED FABRIC COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL WARP CHAINS, EACH CHAIN CONSISTING OF A PLURALITY OF CHAIN STITCHES, THE RESPECTIVE STITCHES OF SAID CHAINS BEING ALIGNED IN COURSES; AND A PLURALITY OF FILLING THREADS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH WARP CHAIN, EACH FILLING THREAD HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE STRETCHES PASSING SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH CHAIN STITCHES OF A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT WARP CHAINS IN THE SAME COURSE, ALL SAID TRANSVERSE STRETCHES OF EACH FILLING THREAD BEING SPACED WARPWISE IN THE SAME CHAIN BY AN EVEN NUMBER OF COURSES AND BEING CONNECTED BY STRETCHES OF SAID FILLING THREAD EXTENDING IN A WARPWISE DIRECTION, SAID WARPWISE STRETCHES HAVING EACH A PORTION FLOATING OVER ONE COURSE INTERMEDIATE SAID TRANSVERSE STRECTCHES, SAID TRANSVERSE STRETCHES OF EACH FILLING THREAD BETWEEN ADJACENT WARP CHAINS BEING OFFSET WARPWISE FROM SAID TRANSVERSE STRETCHES OF THE REMAINDER OF SAID PLURALITY OF FILLING THREADS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAME WARP CHAIN. 